


One Foot in the Grave

by burdened_with_glorious_hunters



Category: Buzzfeed Unsolved (Web Series)
Genre: ? - Freeform, Alternate Universe, Angst and Humor, Attempt at Humor, Believer Ryan Bergara, Buzzfeed Unsolved References, Demon Shane Madej, Demon Summoning, Flirting, Friends to Lovers, Gen or Pre-Slash, Ghosts, Good Demons, Kinda, M/M, Magic, Magical Accidents, Modern Day Witchcraft, Oblivious Ryan Bergara, Occult, Ouija, POV Ryan Bergara, Sexual Tension, Snapshots, Strangers, Supernatural Elements, Superstition, Swearing, Witch Ryan Bergara, Witchcraft, can be read as Shyan if you squint, inept actions
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-05-01
Updated: 2021-01-25
Packaged: 2021-03-02 04:35:41
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 9,692
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23609254
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/burdened_with_glorious_hunters/pseuds/burdened_with_glorious_hunters
Summary: Only when the heat of it lessens and the fire doesn't look so bright behind his closed eyes does Ryan warily drop his arm and cast his gaze over his surroundings. Instead of surveying a torched room or witnessing his room set alight Ryan is greeted to the sight of a man kneeling parallel to him on the other side of his makeshift altar."Summoning demons is a sure way to put one foot in the grave" is the first thing out of the strangers mouth.Ryan opens and closes his mouth in a bid to find words for kneeling on the other side of the altar is indeed a man. It's a jarring sight no doubt about it, although this is an afterthought as Ryan's muddled mind tries to decode the stranger's words, feeling much like he's missing something obvious in his bewilderment. "Demons?" is what comes out in the end his voice cracking on the word.//////Three times Ryan Bergara's dive into modern witchcraft leads to an unplanned demon summoning
Relationships: Ryan Bergara & Shane Madej, Ryan Bergara/Shane Madej
Comments: 11
Kudos: 107





	1. encounter i

Incense burns the scent a waft of lemongrass and sage as Ryan Bergara settles before the ritualistic cloth laid out on the floor before him. Candles cast the room in a soft glow illuminating him kneeling on the floor of his hard wooden apartment floor as the glow of the flames glints off the various crystals scattered around him. The sound of his match striking is almost deafening in the still of the night, the low hiss of it background noise as he turns his attention to the three armed candelabra placed at his makeshift altar.

"Well, time to delve into the first attempt at witchcraft" he muses, running his free hand through his neat raven coloured hair. 

Breathing in deeply as he lifts his hand to level the match against the wick, holding it there as he lights his first spell candle. He closes his eyes- imagines himself cloaked in gold in his minds-eye to ward off anything hoping to cause him harm. He waits a beat until the image of gold begins to make him feel physically warm to open his eyes again, moving to light the next candle and then the next one as he holds his manifestation and aims in his mind. He expects to feel something as he finishes lighting them. From the articles he'd read online he was meant to feel lighter, to feel calmer or stronger but as he watches the wax melts down the candelabra he feels exactly the same as he had prior to the ritual. 

"I feel like im missing a step" He muses aloud, flicking his attention to the window opposite him, the curtains pulled tightly to obscure the night and moon outside. "Maybe I should have let the moonlight in? Or perhaps I didn't do it correctly? 'cause it was a moon ritual after all" 

As if to answer his thoughts it is the moment following his words that the scene shifts dramatically. Something indeed went wrong, he knows it the moment the various candle flames situated around his room roared to life with a dangerous vigour. Vaguely he fears that the heat would set the fire alarms off but in reality he should have been more concerned with the fact that harmless candle flames had turned all his candles present into a roaring fire. 

His panic grows as his spell candles join the fray. Shielding his face instinctively with the crook of his arm, he all but cowers as the fire grows blinding, the heat of it licking at his exposed skin. Only when the heat of it lessens and the fire doesn't look so bright behind his closed eyes does Ryan warily drop his arm and cast his gaze over his surroundings. Instead of surveying a torched room or witnessing his room set alight Ryan is greeted to the sight of a man kneeling parallel to him on the other side of his makeshift altar. 

"Summoning demons is a sure way to put one foot in the grave" is the first thing out of the strangers mouth. 

Ryan opens and closes his mouth in a bid to find words for kneeling on the other side of the altar is indeed a man, he's pale with what Ryan would describe as almost gangly limbs, a mess of light brown hair pulled and a pair of clear framed glasses resting on the bridge of his nose. It's a jarring sight no doubt about it, although this is an afterthought as Ryan's muddled mind tries to decode the stranger's words, feeling much like he's missing something obvious in his bewilderment. "Demons?" is what comes out in the end his voice cracking on the word. 

The stranger rises from his kneel and Ryan's neck strains to continue looking up at him as he stands. There's amusement pulling at his lips, eyes twinkling as if he knew something Ryan didn't but in all honesty that wasn't a feat if he did. "Spawn of the devil, fallen angels... rakshasa" he lists before he pauses, bringing his hands up to the crown of his head and crooking his fingers in imitation of horns. "Things unholy" he says before his hands drop to rest by his sides. 

"I know that" Ryan snaps, brow furrowed as he looks up to the stranger. "Doesn't explain just how you got here" 

The stranger is looking at him face stoic as he does so and it makes the hair on the back of Ryan's neck stand on end. "You don't know?" he questions. 

"No!" Ryan huffs exasperated. "If you don't leave I will have to call the cops, 'cause you do know breaking and entering is a crime right?" 

The stranger has the audacity to look affronted by his words. "I haven't broken anything thank you very much... plus, what use would it be for me to break into a house which looks like it has hardly anything of monetary value" 

Ryan's jaw clicks together forcefully at the comment. In any other situation he'd be offended but now he's just clueless on why the other entered if not to steal something from him, not that he wasn't confused since he'd begun his first ritual... this stranger had just made his night even more so. "Then why are you here?"

Once more does the stranger look at him with that knowing look, this time though there's something that Ryan would describe as intrigue lurking in his eyes and it makes images of a predator eyeing it's prey flash in Ryan's mind. At the comparison he cant help but notice how the stranger's face is grotesque in the lowlight, shadows playing across his face until Ryan's mind can't see defining features with how distorted it's become. 

"Stop that" Ryan says aloud, blinking in surprise that he had said his thoughts aloud. 

"Stop what?" The other questions in a play of bashfulness, moving once more and the light from a nearby candle highlighting him properly now. "This is just my face... well, my _other_ face" 

Ryan feels like he can breathe properly now that the other's back in the light but too soon does his thoughts trip at the words ' _other face_ ' but he can't focus on that at the moment with the way his mind is jumbled with questions. "Who are you?" He settled on saying seeming as the other had decided to play a bit of a game of wits with him. 

"Some would describe me to be malignant... mostly i'm just referred to as strange and off-putting"

Ryan raises a brow. "Malignant?" 

The stranger stops by the wall filled with images of Ryan's friends and co-workers, he turns his attention from them to flash Ryan a grin. "Need me to define it for you?"

"No... I want you to tell me what the hell is going on!" Ryan exclaims, a frustrated red tint creeping up his neck as he rounds on the other aggressively. "Just who are you? Why are you here and how the bloody hell did you get in my apartment?"

"Well, well... aren't you just full of questions?" He chuckles, the sound low in his chest. "Want to play 21 questions or something like we're on a first date?" 

"No!" the smaller man huffs aggravated. 

He must see something shift in Ryan's face because the stranger's grin grows less mocking. "Okay, okay, i'll bite... to answer your who, my name would be difficult for a mortal like you to pronounce so you can just call me Shane and to answer the how and why of your question i'm a demon you summoned from hell"

Ryan swallows around the sudden lump in his throat. "Summoned?"

"Yes"

"From hell?" he questions weakly, praying that the response wouldn't be the affirmative. 

"Yes" 

Ryan feels faint at the thought. "You don't look like a demon" is the only thing he says. 

The stranger-turned-demon-turned- _Shane_ seems to assess him at the words, a wry smile tugging at his lips as he speaks. "I don't think you'd do well seeing that right now" 

"I don't believe you" Ryan says boldly and his voice is surprisingly level as he says it because right now he is anything but calm. 

Shane turns to look at him, lazily coming back from his explorations of Ryan's living room to the centre of the room where the ritual and Ryan resided. "Alright" is all he says, tone resigned. 

They watch each other in the stillness of Shane's words and nothing happens. He's about to open his mouth to tell him off when Ryan finds himself unexplainably unable to look anywhere except Shane's brown eyes. Tension bleeds out of his muscles, calm in a way he hadn't been this whole night and no matter how much he should he cant find it in him to look away as his gaze is locked to stare at Shane's eyes. It's brown- a warm shade like melted milk-chocolate until suddenly it isn't and all Ryan can do is watch how red bleeds into the brown and adds and adds until the brown is gone and all that's left is a blood-like crimson. With his eyes level with the other he can see in his peripheral vision the shape of curved horns growing out from light brown hair, the horns black like charcoal that match the leathery wings which fanned outwards behind the other's back. Ryan's still staring at those haunting eyes when Shane lifts a clawed scaled hand upwards, a lone finger pressing against his lips in the universal sign for 'hush'. He should be terrified at the sight of something so otherworldly before him but looking into those eyes he's nothing but calm his other emotions muted and out of reach. Then Shane drops his hand from his lips and Ryan finally blinks, only for the image to shift to see a human looking Shane replacing the demonic version he'd just seen.

"Is that proof enough for you?" Shane questions, a smug lilt to his words and Ryan can only stare as his emotions crash back into him like a tidal wave. 

Ryan gapes unintelligently. "holy shit! y-you are a... I- _fuck_ \- I can't even say it" 

"And I didn't even show you my real face" Shane muses before he pauses, smirking in amusement for his words next to come. "But that will have to wait until our third date" 

The smaller man throws his hands up in exasperation. "How? How did I do this?" 

"Fucked if I know" Shane deadpans taking the time to shrug before elaborating vaguely. "Wrong spell I suppose"

"I-I was meant to manifest energy but instead I manifested you"

His eyes dart to Ryan at the confession, something Ryan can name as something other than contemplation swimming in those warm brown eyes. "Did you now?"

Ryan starts, swallowing with a click at the watchful gaze of the _demon_. "Yes... I-i don't understand why" he murmurs trying not to focus on the fact that he's talking to an actual demon right now. 

Shane moves to kneel back down opposite Ryan, the ritual sitting forgotten between them. "What did you want Ryan... what did you want to manifest?" 

Ryan's cheeks flare in embarrassment and he can't find it in himself to look the other in the eye. "What anyone would want in trying times... I wanted to banish my negative emotions and manifest good energy and feelings" 

"And it resulted in me... how peculiar" Shane muses almost humming the last two words. "I do wonder just what would make someone so newly acquainted to the occult summon a demon through sheer will" 

"Beginners luck" Ryan quips dryly, lacking amusement. 

Shane's fingers drum an unheard tune onto the wooden floorboards beneath him. "You're an intriguing one I'll give you that, mortal" 

"Ryan, my name's Ryan" 

The demon stares at him for a moment before grinning widely, the motion with a bit too much teeth which caused Ryan to suppress the shudder wanting to run through him at the sight. "Word of advice... don't ever tell your real name to a demon for it gives them power over you, especially full names but- hmm, I did tell you mine so it was polite of you to introduce yourself" Shane reaches out to grab Ryan's hand, giving it a firm shake despite the limp way Ryan's arm hung as the human stared at Shane in stunned disbelief. "Nice to meet you!" Shane says, entirely amused as he flashes the other a smoother genuine smile. 

Then he drops Ryan's hand, moving to clap his own palms together which sounds all the more jarring in the quiet night. "Well! I am here now so perhaps I can help you" 

"I suppose" Ryan says hesitance colouring in his tone. 

Shane stands, throwing an inviting hand down towards Ryan still kneeling on the floor. "Or perhaps a deal would strike your fancy?" 

It must have been a trick of the light for when Ryan turned his attention upwards to look the other in the face, Shane's eyes had glowed for the briefest moment as he'd spoken. "I-i-" Ryan stutters as words fail him.

"C'mon" Shane urges voice like honey and it must have been the light for his eyes looked almost _scarlet_. "Just one... I promise I won't bite" Shane is looking at him and Ryan can't drag his eyes away from the hypnotic edge to the demons gaze. "C'mon Ryan" he whispers, voice pitched low as if he was sharing a secret between them. "I know you want to make a _deal_ " The final word reverberates from the other chest as Shane's teeth glint ivory, it's wolfish- his grin, the way the word _deal_ seems to come out akin to a wolf growling in warning-

Ryan blinks and the world seems to come back to him, finds himself with his hand reached out, his palm hovering centimetres from the other's awaiting hand. "No" He denies voice hard as he wrenches his hand back to his side. Heart jack-hammering against his ribs as he watches the way Shane throws his head back in a laugh so course and rough it sends shivers through him. "Fuck you!" Ryan seethes, wide-eyed as anger overpowers any lingering fear holding him back. "Fuck you! Crawl back to hell or wherever you came from and leave me alone!" 

The demon lets out a tsk, unfazed in the face of the other's anger. "You summoned me and like it or not I _can't_ leave until I fulfil the reason you summoned me or... we make a deal to override it" 

Ryan scowls at the words not entirely keen with either option.

It seems they are at a stalemate. 

Shane shifts, fingers fiddling with a cluster of sage in his hands which he'd snatched from one of the shelves when he'd skirted the perimeter earlier. "I think you've forgotten something, Ryan" he muses, eyes twinkling as he raised the sage up as if boasting a prize. 

Ryan's eyes lift to track the motion, trying to wrack his brain to when the other had the time to steal it. "What?" he splutters, forgetting his grievances at the sight. 

"Sage" Shane says slowly as if the answer was obvious. "You forgot about the sage... so you didn't cleanse the space before you conducted the ritual did you?" 

"Er" 

His lips twitch at the telling noise. "Thought so... rookie mistake, although... you seem like the type to be by the book so I'm a little surprised it slipped your mind. Sage is kinda a staple for anything to do with energies let along witchcraft" 

The smaller man ignores him reaching to snatch the sage bundle from Shane's grip, keeping his eyes downcast as he removes a stem from the bundle. "I guess I over-thought every so much with my nerves that it didn't even compute I'd missed a step" 

Shane grins. "If you're going to light it I better do the honours... seeming as the last time you'd lit something it turned out to summon a demon, that being yours truly of course!" He teases and with a snap of his fingers, the small sage stem in Ryan's hand caught alight. 

Letting out a surprised yelp at the sight, Ryan let go off the sage stem in his surprise watching as it hits the wooden floor. The demon's hearty chuckle is background noise as Ryan's cheeks redden with embarrassment, moving to collect the still smoking stem of sage he'd discarded with his shock moments before. "You asshole!" He exclaims, trying to disguise his discomfort with annoyance. 

"If you wave it around a little and let it smoke the place a bit maybe it'll make me disappear?" Shane mocks, seeing through the other's facade. 

Ryan's expression is doubtful but Shane can tell he's amused by his words, well, amused in a way one who is semi-annoyed can be. He's fiddling with the smouldering sage in his hands, fingers staying a way from the embers lining the top of the stem. The fall to the ground had semi-blown it out, so there wasn't much smoke generated by it as the sage slowly crept closer to becoming snuffed out. 

"Sage gets rid of negative energies so i'm not far wrong with saying that I could disappear" Shane continues before he paused to raise his pointer and middle finger up level with his face. "I promise" He says, crossing his fingers as he says it- nulling his words. 

"What's the point of doing that? It's obvious you're lying" Ryan huffs, rocking back on his heels as he casts an unimpressed expression the other's way. 

Shane stares, head angled slightly downwards so his clear-framed glasses slide the barest of movement down the bridge of his nose. "That's the point"

Shaking his head Ryan stands suddenly and Shane steps back as the other does it, an unsure expression flickering across his features that he tries to hide by pushing his glasses higher up the bridge of his nose. "Whoa there buckaroo, give an entity a warning before crowding up in his space" 

A wheeze of a laugh escapes Ryan lips before he can smother it. "Plus... trusting a demon? really? are you even trying right now?" 

"Is is bad for me to say no?" Shane asks, lips twitching upwards in a telling way. "I usually don't have to try so hard to get people to make deals" 

Frowning Ryan takes a moment to look at him. "Is that what you do? make deals with mortals? I thought you'd be out lurking in the shadows, impersonating little girls in order to spook home owners-" 

" _impersonating little girls_! what is this? the exorcist?" Shane exclaims, barking out a laugh. "Do you think i'm gonna have someone take me seriously if I look like a little girl?" 

Ryan chokes on air, words stumbling out of him in a halting manner. "well- I- er..." 

"No!" Shane exclaims amused, hands moving to settle on his hips. "A demon disguised as little girl is going to get jack-shit" 

"But..." Ryan hums, tone begging for the other to hear out his reasoning. "Little girls are also a way to have people less wary of you, y'know, humans are more inclined to listen to a child then a eldritch monstrosity" 

Shane raised a brow at the comment. "Eldritch monstrosity? now _that_ is my new middle name" 

The smaller man balks, mouth opening and closing as he tries to compute the words he'd just listened too. "You are way to enthusiastic about that comment" Ryan sighs exasperated. "That is not something you want to be called in any way" 

"Well I do, call me Shane 'eldritch monstrosity' Madej" 

The smaller man's expression is flat but his eyes show his inner chagrin. "No one is going to call you that" 

"Oh they will" Shane says lowly. "People learn about names... it reminds about how Goat man's bridge is now called Shane's bridge... kids go there and tell stores about _me,_ not that demon fuck! Serves him right, I disrespected him and that bridge by dancing on it and he did nothing to stop me" 

Bewilderment replaces the emotionless mask on Ryan's face at the other's words. "I... _what?_ " 

Shane blinks slowly as if he'd forgotten Ryan was there. "Don't worry about it" he dismisses waving a hand lazily. "Demon stuff, no need to dwell on that it's got nothing to do with your current situation" 

"R _iiiiii_ ght" Ryan drags the word out slowly, trying to ignore the way he feels like he's way out of his depth and way too sleep deprived to decode the mess that was Shane's previous sentence. 

Clearing his throat Shane shuffles on the spot, hands hanging at his sides awkwardly. "Right... back to the situation at hand" 

All prior awkwardness had vanished from his figure, face growing serious as he muses on something unknown to the other. He then moves to walk around Ryan, almost circling the smaller man. "I'll give you an offer, an alternative so to speak... you can make a deal with me to make a deal at a later date or you can even make a deal to summon me when you next need help with the occult... either of those is the best I can offer" 

Ryan's brow furrows at the offer. "that's not much of a choice... sounds more like an ultimatum to me" 

Shane's face is stony as he speaks. "I'm being highly lenient to you... most demons would take your soul or kill you for being so uncooperative, especially since you were the one who summoned me" 

"Unintentionally!" Ryan cries. 

"That wouldn't matter to them" the demon says harshly in response. "I am trying to help you, Ryan, you'd do well to head my warnings" 

Unsure Ryan casts his attention away from Shane's knowing eyes and stares hard at the forgotten ritual still splayed across his wooden floor. The candles on his candelabra continue to flicker, it's shadow cast across the floor. "Fine" Comes his agreement after a pause. "I will make a deal with you" 

Shane's eyes have turned scarlet at his confirmation and as the candle light flickers his face seems to grow shadowed, ever flicking between something macabre and human as he watches him. "What is your decision?" 

"That I will summon you at a later point in time or when I need help with anything to do with the occult" 

Wordlessly Shane holds out a palm to the other and Ryan hesitantly moves to clasp his outstretch hand. The moment they made contact the top of Shane's hand caught alight with a supernatural fire. Wide-eyed Ryan could only watch, Shane's grip too tight on his own hand for the other to pull away at the sight of flames creeping closer to engulf his skin. With baited breath he cringes as the flames move to his hands but exhales in surprise as he feels no burning heat on his hand. To his immense surprise though after a pause the fire moves up his wrist only to burn for the briefest moment. He hisses at the sensation akin to the feeling of scalding water hitting the inner wrist but as soon as the sensation began it ended. 

"It's done" Shane murmurs finally letting go off Ryan's hand as the flames vanished, stepping back. 

Immediately the smaller man brings his hand closer to his face to inspect it. No blisters or markings decorated his hand but as his eyes move to his wrist he finds himself with a raised red marking on his wrist. It almost looks like the letters ' ~~ _S.M_.~~' but it's jagged movements, as if hurried with indecision or written with difficulty but more strangely is on top of the almost-letters are strange lines unlike any language or symbol Ryan had ever seen. Almost ruin-like similar to the symbols Ryan had seen other witches create with ciphers and wheels. 

"Shane-" 

The demon's name dies on his lips as he raises his eyes from the mark only to meet empty space where Shane had stood moments before. 

It was Ryan Bergara's first encounter with demons, but, it would not be his last... the mark on his wrist serving as a constant reminder of the deal taken place. 


	2. encounter ii

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> encounter ii

It's cold- bitterly so. The wind howls outside Ryan's apartment window, branches tapping against his window pane as if someone was trying to gain his attention. A clock hangs with it's glass cracked at _12:00,_ it's minute hand dislodge from it's usual space as if something had been hurled at it angrily. Brown eyes flit around the space forever moving as if he expected something to crawl out the deep shadows of his low-lit apartment. Shoulders raised Ryan walks tentatively across the room, steps light as if he feared the creak of the floorboards would damn him. It's silent. Eerily so that it puts the smaller man even more on edge. 

Ryan can't stop the yelp that escapes him as a porcelain plate flies over his head and crashes against the wall behind him, missing him by centimeters as he dives behind the wood and stone bench that resides in his quant kitchen. His knees and palms hit the wooden floorboards hard- no doubt bruised but Ryan doesn't have time to wince as porcelain rains down around him. He's abruptly distracted from the fear he feels as his wrist suddenly burns, hissing he draws his hand close to his chest, eyes dipping down to glance at the raised ' ~~ _S.M._~~ '. 

"What have you got yourself into this time, Bergara?" A familiar voice asks calmly. 

Craning his neck from his huddled position by the kitchen bench that was his cover, Ryan finds himself eye level with a figure's legs. Lifting his head to get a better look at the newcomer, Ryan finds himself staring at none other than Shane. The demon hadn't shown himself after Ryan's accidental summoning months ago, so, he's nothing short of surprised to see the other without warning.

Ryan gapes at the sight. "What are you doing here?" he manages to ask still sprawled on the floor. 

"Helping a friend" Shane says and he grins widely as he was about to share an in-joke. "Free of charge of course" 

Ryan blinks. "Charge?" He repeats dumbly. 

Shane ignores his words, instead extending a palm wordlessly down towards Ryan. Not one to argue at the gesture Ryan reaches his own hand out to clasp the other's palm. The smaller man being effortlessly pulled from the ceramic covered floor.

The taller man's attention is drawn towards the darkened empty space of Ryan's adjacent living room, it's an empty space so it confuses Ryan to see the other staring so intently into nothing. Belatedly he realises that the other is not staring into blank space but rather that Shane's eyes have dropped to the floor to the exact space that Ryan had set up the ritual and accidentally summoned him all those months ago. He doesn't have time to unpack the shiver that runs through him at the epiphany for Shane's voice cut's into his thoughts. 

"You've been summoning" 

It's more of a statement than a question but Ryan answers it like the other had queried him regardless. "Yes... I-I wanted to practice so I could gain experience" the; ' _I've been practicing so that I could summon you_ ' is the unsaid words that hung in the air between them. 

It's like Shane had heard the unsaid words for shadows distort the other's features as Shane turns to look at him, his grin looking more like needles than teeth when he speaks teasingly. "Well practice _does_ make perfect" 

It's a jarring image that sears itself in Ryan's memory, trying to reign in his frenzied emotions he watches the other step further into the living room, Shane's figure seems to be swallowed by shadows as moves. Unease curls low in Ryan's stomach at the sight, making him linger at his position next to the kitchen bench he'd been huddling behind moments ago. His knuckles are white with the force he grips the bench-top but he hardly registers the actions as he stares wide-eyed into the darkness that Shane had brazenly walked into. 

"Have you been messing with ghosts?" Shane's voice carries out from the darkness. 

Ryan's shoulder's hunch at the words, eyes darting around him as he hesitantly replies. "Not really" 

The demon lets out a humming noise loud enough for Ryan to hear from his position on the other side of the room.

"Not in a traditional way at least" Ryan continues in a mutter, lifting one hand to rub the back of his neck. "I mean... er" 

He can't hear Shane's footsteps on the wooden floors but the other's voice comes from a different position every time he speaks. "Don't tell me you've been using spirit boards"

"I-I didn't think-" The smaller man begins to attempt to explain, stuttering uneasily. 

"You have!" Shane exclaims right by his ear. 

The sudden closeness makes Ryan startle as he all but whips his head towards the direction of Shane's voice. When had he moved so close? Ryan wonders, watching as Shane throws his head back in a hearty laugh. "I didn't-" 

"What? you didn't mean too? You just fell over and found yourself with a lap full of spirit board?" Shane's sarcasm cut over him and his tone lacks all amusement it had since he'd first arrived. It makes Ryan look at him, really look at him. Shane's eyes are hard and for a moment as their gaze met Ryan swore they glowed _scarlet_. "I don't think you've just been playing with regular old ghosts" he says lowly. 

As if to enforce the words, something porcelain smashed against the bench to Ryan's side. Ryan flinches at the action, hands reaching out towards Shane instinctively without really thinking about it. Shane on the other hand was still at the unexpected action, his gaze dropping to the way Ryan's hands had found themselves clutching his arm in support. "For one so fearful of the supernatural, you sure get yourself in some situations" 

"The supernatural seems to just find me" Ryan confesses, hands squeezing Shane's arm absently. "I wish it didn't" 

"Aw" Shane drawls, leaning his head down closer to Ryan's. "You wishing away lil old me?" 

Ryan blinks at the action, trying to move back but he'd halted in his movements by his own hand still gripping Shane like a life-line. Withdrawing his hand from Shane's arm like it burned, Ryan briskly made space between them, making his way towards the living room like he had purpose too. There's a flustered red creeping up his neck as he comes to a stand-still awkwardly in the middle of his living room. 

"I need your help" He confesses, head angled away from the other's sight. 

There's arrogance in Shane's posture as me moves to follow the smaller man. "I know... it's why I came here" 

Ryan goes to open his mouth but whatever he was about to say is cut off as a glass vase smashes at their feet the glass glistening like a thousand tiny stars as it slides out across the wooden floor boards. 

"That looked like an antique vase" Shane muses, tone nonchalant like this whole situation was nothing other than normal and perhaps for him it _is_ normal. 

"It _was_ an antique" Ryan grumbles in response, a scowl on his face as he glares at the glass at his feet. 

Shane steps forwards, glass crunching underneath his shoes as moves. His attention not on the mess underneath him but rather on the low-lit surroundings of Ryan's living room. "Now what have you been messing with? _hmm_ " he asks the air, tone just shy from being goading. "Just what have you summoned from beyond the veil?" 

Ryan is silent where he stands, watching the taller man pace around his room. Shane comes to a halt near the tv cabinet, the demon's attention seems to freeze on empty space above the small coffee table resting between the worn couches, a grin overcoming his features. "Ah! I see it now" 

Ryan's attention flickers to also stare at the spot Shane seemed so intent on. "You do?" he questions, doubt tinting his words. 

At the smaller man's words, Shane's grin seems to widen further. "Of course" He affirms like it was obvious. "You've summoned a poltergeist, makes sense with this swirling white void". His arm moves to gesture the empty space like it backed up his words, as if there was some sort of energy hovering, but to Ryan it seemed that the other had lost his mind.

"You can't be serious? there's nothing there!" Ryan exclaims exasperated. 

Shane blinks, frowning as he stares at the space. " _Oh_ " he says after a lull. 

"Oh?" Ryan mocks. 

Shane's attention darts toward Ryan before returning just as quickly to the _seemingly_ empty space. "You can't see it, can you?" 

Ryan lets out an aggravated sigh, one hand running through his hair in a frustrated tic. "See what? What are you playing at Shane?" 

Shane turns from the _not-so_ -empty space and makes his way towards Ryan. There's a serious crease forming between the other's brow that becomes prominent the closer he gets. So focused was Ryan on the other's expression that he didn't even notice Shane moving to place his hands firmly on the smaller man's shoulders. He jolts at the weight, skin crawling at the sensation of Shane's fingers feeling more like claws pricking at him through the layers of his clothes. He's unable to look down to double check, too caught in the hypnotic red of the demon's eyes, not that he'd probably been able to see the other's hands anyway with how dark the room had become. 

"I'm not messing around, Ryan" Shane states lowly. "There _is_ a poltergeist in your apartment" 

This time Ryan does shiver at the words. "How do we get rid of it?" 

A slow smirk replaces the seriousness of Shane's prior expression but there's something off about it that Ryan can't name. "Me" Shane says, as if that was enough of an explanation. 

Ryan doesn't have the nerve to ask just why that is the answer. It seems he doesn't have to ask, as Shane began to move back into the shadowy corners of Ryan's living room. The taller man is rummaging through Ryan's possessions, dragging his hands across various objects littering the tables and shelves in the room. Laser-focussed is how the smaller man would describe the demon's actions and Ryan wonders if Shane can see properly in the low-light, for he himself sure can't see a thing. 

"What is your plan then?" Ryan asks over the noise of Shane's nonsensical mumbling. 

"I'm looking for something" Shane replies vaguely, lifting something from a table that Ryan can't quite make out the features of. 

"Would it kill him to elaborate?" Ryan mutters to himself under his breath as the demon continued to inspect every item he could get his hands on.

He can't stand to watch the other any longer instead moving from his spot in the kitchen towards the table pressed up against the wall. A large ornate mirror graces the wall and in it Ryan can see Shane still looking around behind him. Casting his gaze away from the other he looks down at the table to look at a series of cheap melted candles and clear quartz littered on the wooden surface, something akin to an altar cloth covering the surface and kept in place by a pewter three armed candelabra. Dried wax has dripped down the unlit spell candles that Ryan had only lit once but the heat of the flames had melted the candle as if he'd been burning it for weeks. He'd avoided using spell candles of the candelabra to summon anything as he hadn't lit the candles since that fateful night months ago when he'd summoned Shane by accident. His hands rest on the oak wood of the table, eyes dropped thoughtfully on the candelabra. Off to the side of it sits his empty incense tray the lemongrass and sage incense being used up long ago. He wonders if he'd made a mistake, if perhaps he should have tried to re-use those spell candles again and not the cheap ones he'd bought as a lousy substitute for proper summoning. He's so caught in his thoughts that the next words said to him makes his heart skip in his chest in surprise. 

"Ryan..." Shane suddenly murmurs into his ear slowly and Ryan looks up to find his startled expression reflected back at him in the mirror that hangs above his altar. He feels the warmth of the other's front and chest caging Ryan against the table before he registers Shane is standing behind him in the reflection. "Why haven't you told me you've been trying to summon me?" 

Ryan's breath escapes him shakily, not wanting to figure out why the other's close proximity makes his stomach flip. "I haven't been" He lies through his teeth, mind wandering to those late nights he sat under the light of the full moon attempting to bring the other back. 

Shane's breath tickles his ear and neck as he chuckles. "Don't lie to me" He warns and illogically Ryan wonders if the other had read his mind and already knew where Ryan's thoughts laid. The demon's gaze is holding his own through the reflection of the mirror both of them staring at their reflections instead of each other physically. Ryan watches Shane lean his head down to speak into reflection-Ryan's ear directly. "Fine... if you don't want to admit that, then I will ask you this; where is your Ouija Board?" Shane's words are emphasised with the ghost of his hands skimming over Ryan's sides, claws light as they graze against the darker skin in a feather-light action. 

Ryan's frozen to the spot fear turning his blood to ice as he watches the deadly glint to Shane's brown eyes. "I-I got rid of it" Ryan confesses, fighting the urge to turn around and sprint as far as he could to get away from the demon's predatory gaze. "I bought a wooden spirit board from a local market, someone had engraved the classic Ouija Board markings into a piece of oak wood"

In the reflection of the mirror Shane's eyes glow like a cat's does when hit by a beam of light in the darkness. "What did you use to communicate?" 

"I used a crystal pendulum" Ryan admits breathlessly. 

The two stare at each other for a beat. Ryan's heart thumping against his rib-cage so hard he wonders if Shane can feel it with how close the other has pressed up against his back. In the lull Shane's tension fizzled out only to leave a lingering heaviness in the air between them. Only due to the fact Ryan was assessing the other's expression did Ryan note the way Shane's gaze was caught not on him but something else behind them. Before Ryan can question the other on his surprised expression, Shane abruptly shoved Ryan forcefully to the side. Stumbling Ryan nearly falls to the ground with the force of the other's push. In the space they'd been standing moments ago something ceramic had been hurtled and instead hit dead centre of the mirror, thankfully though it was the ceramic that shattered and not the mirror for Ryan didn't need that extra bad luck that would have followed a broken mirror. 

Ryan regains his balance, whipping his head towards Shane hard. "W-what the fuck?" 

"The poltergeist is still here" Shane responds as if that explained the whole scenario just passed. 

' _No shit_ ' Ryan wants to throw back but instead he rubs the back of his neck nervously as he eyes the shattered ceramic shards covering his altar with dawning realisation. ' _That could have hit you if it weren't for Shane_ ' he thinks to himself as he frowns. Bashfully he turns his gaze to the taller man. "Thanks Shane, for... for-"' 

"For saving your ass?" Shane cuts in over the top of the smaller man's apology, a grin twitching at his lips. "No problem, would have been boring if I let you get hit and you died or something 'cause who would I get to annoy then?" 

"Yeah... Right" The smaller man grumbles. 

"I noticed a little something" Shane says conversationally, posture nonchalant. 

Ryan hums as if to say, 'go on' and Shane seems to take it as invitation as he reaches out to trail his finger across the chain hanging on Ryan's neck. The necklace itself is hidden under Ryan's shirt and the smaller man's eyes widen in understanding. "Oh" he all but breathes the word. 

"Yes" Shane hums, hooking a finger on the chain to raise the necklace out from it's hiding space beneath Ryan's shirt. An amythyst crystal gleams in the low-light cast from the moon, both of their attention on the pendent. "I noticed you are wearing the pendulum" 

The smaller man raises his gaze from the pendulum to met Shane's in growing understanding. "The poltergeist- it's tethered to the pendulum" 

An expression just shy of proud overcomes the demon's expression as he nods in confirmation. "Good work, Ryan, you're learning" Shane praises. 

To avoid the other's gaze, Ryan ducks his head and moved to remove the pendulum from around his neck. After removing it his free hand moves to smooth his dark hair back down, his other hand holding the pendulum loosely. "So what now? How do we get rid of it?" 

"Simple... we cleanse it" 

Ryan watches as Shane approaches his altar, sees his reflection hovering aimlessly behind Shane in the ornate mirror. Shane clicks his fingers and the spell candles laid dormant on the three-armed candelabra come to life, casting the room in a warm orange glow. He lifts some of the clear quartz littering the table and passes them through the flame briefly, before he moves to lift a cluster of sage, taking a stem from the pile and lifting it towards the spell candle to light it. Once done, he turns his attention towards Ryan, outstretching a hand towards the smaller man. "Pass me the pendulum" Shane orders. 

Wordlessly Ryan hands it over, stepping back once the other lifts the crystal to hang over the spell candles. Incomprehensible sounds escapes the demon's lips, his features swapping between macabre and human as he speaks unearthly words. Ryan doesn't know how to describe how the other looks in those moments when he looks downright demonic skin turning red either with blood or scales or something entirely unknown to him. Hints of fangs show as Shane speaks, horns glinting in the light when he moves his head in certain ways but when he comes back into the direct light of the candles he looks entirely human and Ryan wonder's if he's seeing thing. Sometimes Ryan thinks he sees smoke curling from the other's mouth or nose but then he sees the way Shane moves the smoking sage and dismisses the concept before it fully settled. 

He's broken from his trancelike watching when suddenly Shane drops the pendulum as if the metal burnt him, he'd been cleansing the amethyst point with the sage smoke when the pendulum suddenly slips from his grasp, hitting the floor in a surprising shatter of broken crystal. "Fuck" Shane swore, shaking his hand as the candles flared briefly before him before returning to normal. 

"T-The pendulum smashed" Ryan observes, leaning down to pick up a particularly large shard of amethyst. There's a lack of energy coming from the crystal now, it doesn't feel like it had before he used the pendulum and even less like after he'd summoned the poltergeist. "The energies gone too" 

Shane reaches across to take the shard from Ryan's grip. "It's not gone" Shane says, "It's just diminished due to the ritual... you'd need to charge it under the full moon for it to return to how it was before the poltergeist latched on to it" 

The smaller man frowns at the mess of amethyst shards at his feet. "But the crystal is destroyed" 

"It's not destroyed, just shattered" Shane says and with a wave of his hand the amethyst shards coating the floor appear in his outstretched palm. "The pieces are still there Ryan, it's still the same crystal it was before just evolved" 

Shane pours the shards into Ryan's own hand before turning to the candelabra as a mischievous expression spreads across his features. "As we snuff this candle so too do we snuff it from this mortal world" there's a pause as Shane blows out the spell candles. "the fuckin’ wimp" 

Ryan blinks in surprise. "Jesus Christ!" Ryan exclaims, staring down in stunned horror at the demon. 

"He can't help you now, Ryan" Shane teases, snuffing the sage between his fingertip as if the embers didn't burn him. 

Shaking his head, Ryan can't fight the relieved smile that overcomes his face. "Thanks for helping me with everything... especially with the poltergeist issue" 

Shane waves a hand dismissively. "It's fine... it's what friends do" 

"Friends" Ryan repeats in surprise, he didn't realise demons had _friends_. "Yeah, that they do" 

He shuffles on the spot awkwardly, it's what makes him notice how messy the poltergeist had made his apartment. "Speaking of friends can you help me clean up the glass and ceramics the poltergeist threw at me?"

Shane blinks owlishly. "Oh, man... would you look at the time" He glances down at his wrist. "I have to go, demon duties and all that... later Boo-gara!" And just like that the demon popped out of the room with a faint _crack!_. 

"He wasn't even wearing a watch" Ryan grumbles, glaring at the debris of glass and ceramics coating his floor. It was going to be a long night cleaning up that mess.


	3. encounter iii

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> encounter iii

The air has a hint of chill to it that foreshadows the upcoming winter, which wasn't a surprise on the eve of halloween.

It was the first time Ryan had celebrated the day as a witch, so there's a hint of trepidation in Ryan as he lights his spell candles on the three armed candelabra at his altar. He'd picked up a hand-made candle from a local market, the lady he'd spoken too wearing a tell tale triple moon necklace who gave him knowing look when Ryan hovered over a gaudy pumpkin themed candle. As he'd stared helplessly at the flashy candles before him, the stores clark lifted a single black nailed finger to draw his eye instead towards an inconspicuous herb infused candle, little pieces of red polished stone littering the surface. It is then that he sees it, a cream coloured soy candle coated with cinnamon to bring forth luck and sage to help protect against any negative energies. In it sits a lone polished bloodstone, a purifying stone that was said to bring out strength which would be helpful in the winter months ahead. 

It's how Ryan now finds himself standing before his alter, a match hovering hesitantly over the candle he'd bought earlier in the day. He spares a glance to his now fixed clock it's hands ticking down the minutes to midnight when it would finally hit Halloween... or should he call it Samhain? 

Shaking his head, Ryan re-focuses himself on timing himself, now moving his match to light the new spell candle just for the day. Almost immediately does he get a waft of cinnamon, notes of pumpkin spice making his lips twitch in anticipation. 

He allows himself a moment to take it in, taking in the faint warmth he can feel from the flame with standing so close to it. The candle flickers, a shiver running down Ryan's spine as he's plunged into darkness momentarily. At the action, he fights the urge to assess his surroundings, instead, focusing on wrapping up his intention setting. Once done he moves to snuff out the candles on his candelabra as well as the small cluster of sage he'd used to clear the area of ill intent. All that's left is the candle he'd bought earlier in the day, his hand reaching out with a pewter candle snuffer when a voice rings out in the tranquil. 

"Don't snuff that one out!" 

The yelp that escapes Ryan's lips as he almost jumps out his own skin is at least two octaves higher than his normal voice. Whipping his head behind him, Ryan turns to see a figure standing relaxed against his kitchen counter. They push off the stone as he catches sight of them there, instead walking towards Ryan and in turn into the light. It is Shane who reaches out to catch his wrist before he can blow out the candles, a lecture on his lips. "You'll ruin your intention, especially on a day like Samhain... you let that candle burn until it hits the twenty fourth hour at _least_ " 

Stunned Ryan can only nod and at the action of recognition, Shane slowly loosening his grip in turn, their hands falling between them and returning to their respective selves. 

It its only because Shane's attention sweeps over the altar in assessment that he even notices the small dish containing broken amethyst shards. A faint grin tugs as his lips as he notes it, he doesn't have to ask to know it's the broken pendulum shards from their last meeting that lay in the decoration. "Nice set up you've got going... down-right _witchy_ "

"That's the plan" Ryan manages to say no longer paralysed by his fear. 

Shane grins, casting a look around the apartment as he speaks. "It's been a while, Bergara, I almost thought you forgot about me" 

"As if" Ryan scoffs, "A demon summoning is a bit hard to forget" 

There's something different in the other's eyes as he gazes at him. "Glad I made an impression" He drawls and it must have been a trick of the light with how his eyes seemed to shine red. It is only due to Ryan looking at the other that he notices the sudden tension which makes Shane's shoulders draw taunt.

"Are you okay?" 

At the worried tone of the smaller man's voice, Shane had turned his attention away from the clock ticking down and back to the other. Shane's reassuring grin he sends Ryan's way is stiff, teeth clenched in a twisted imitation of a smile. "Of course.. why wouldn't I be?" 

Ryan reaches outwards. "Let me know what's up with you" he urges just as his hand makes contact with Shane's skin. 

The clock struck midnight as Ryan touches him, only to jerk his hand back at the sensation of heat that emanates from the other. "Shit!" 

Eyes moving from his hand, Ryan looks up only to be stunned by the sight before him, curved horns growing out from light brown hair, the horns black like charcoal that match the leathery wings which fanned outwards behind the other's back. Gone is warm amber, replaced with unearthly red. At Ryan's spooked expression, Shane moves to hide his face, stepping back into the shadows as if it could cloak him from Ryan's gaze.

"I shouldn't have come" Shane mutters under his breath, lips pulled back to reveal hints of sharp teeth. 

At the words Ryan pulls his attention from Shane's silhouette back towards the simmering candle of his altar. "Why not? You helped me with my issues to do with the occult... that was our deal". He can imagine the way Shane's lips quirk at the words; ' _our deal_ ' as if Ryan had in any real say in it. Truly, Ryan can't even be mad. Shane's help had been invaluable with all the inept actions wrecking havoc on his life. "If you shouldn't be here then why are you?" Ryan questions. 

Ryan doesn't have to look to see the tension in Shane's figure even despite even if he had he wouldn't have been able to make any of the other's features out properly. "Damn you, Ryan, I've come to like you too much to let you be hurt by messing with things you don't truly comprehend" 

Defensively Ryan crosses his arms across his chest. "So, What am I to you? A fun little game to keep you entertained when you aren't off torturing souls?" 

"That's ridiculous I work at Buzzfeed, that company tortures more people that I would in hell" Shane says before he sighs, seeming to hunch in on himself. "But no, you're not a game to me... you're my friend" 

Ryan blinks, the candle snuffer in his hands dropping in his surprise. "Friend? Do demons even have friends?" 

"They do now" 

Shane is still silhouetted in the dark, his features downright demonic but the smaller man can't see that in the lowlight of the room. 

"What's wrong, Shane? why are you hiding from me?" 

There's a long pause before the other speaks. "I dont want you to see me like this" 

"Don't you get it? I already have... that moment you proved that you were a demon, I saw your face" 

All prior unease had vanished from his figure, face growing serious as Shane muses on something unknown to the other. "Would you do it again? If you had the knowledge you had now... would you still have summoned me?" 

"Yes" There's no hesitation in Ryan's voice. "I would do it every time" 

Shane then moves to walk around Ryan, almost circling the smaller man. "I don't get you, Bergara" He murmurs, pausing as he moves around Ryan's back, head bent down to speak into Ryan's ear. "So fearful of the other-side and yet you delve into witchcraft and make deals with demons" 

He moves to stand before Ryan once more, a grin lacing the other's lips that sends alarm bells ringing in Ryan's head more than the fact that Shane looks everything like a demon he says he is. "You know you could have just told me to leave" Shane says with the tone of someone mentioning the weather. 

"I-" Ryan's voice dies out. "What?" He questions unintelligently. 

"You could have told me to leave at any time... I just lied and said I couldn't leave" 

Ryan can't stop the way his eye twitches faintly at the reveal. "Fuck you, Shane" 

"oh I know you want too" Shane says, eyebrows lifting suggestively. 

"In your dreams" Ryan spits back as his cheeks flame. "God! fuck off already" 

The demon grins wider, feinting hurt as he dramatically moves a hand to his chest. "You wound me... I bear my heart to you and you say that" 

"But- seriously though Shane, I don't regret our deal... stop trying to change the subject and escape this" 

The broken clock on the wall ticks as a silence falls between them. Shane's eyes drop from Ryan's gaze, it makes Ryan follow down to floor to stare at Shane's unearthly shaped shadow that's cast across the wooden floor.

"I've deceived you" Shane insists. "And yet you still try to reason with yourself that I am good, Ryan... there's nothing remotely _good_ about me" 

"You may not be good but you decided to protect me anyway" 

"Selfish reasons" Shane dismisses, lips curling to show hints of razor sharp teeth as he sneers. 

Ryan heaves a sigh, hints of frustration showing in the slant of his shoulders. "I hope you know you can tell me whatever you're thinking" 

"I think you're naive, stumbling through the dark as you play with things you can't begin to comprehend" 

"That's what got us in this situation in the first place, are you trying to say you regret making a deal with me?" 

Theres a blank look in Shane's expression although theres a light of understanding dawning in Shane's eyes as he contemplates his next words. "Yes... I am" 

His chest feels tight as he hears it, the confirmation falling from Shane's lips. "Maybe I was wrong to trust you" Ryan responds, tone cold. 

"I was clear from the start, Bergara... you just refused to believe my words"

"You're a liar" Ryan snarls, trying to keep down the hurt that curls in his chest. 

"I've never lied to you" Shane insists. "I will promise you that" 

Shane raises his hand, quick sharp reaching out to grip Ryan's wrist tightly before the other can pull away. "I revoke our deal... I have taught Ryan Steven Bergara all he needs to know, our deal has been fulfilled"

The familiar burn on Ryan's wrist spikes as he attempts to tug his arm way but Shane's own fingers wrapped around him prevent him from seeing what is happening to the mark underneath. Ryan looks up, teeth grit together as he tries to read the other's face but Shane gives him nothing except cool indifference. Quick as it started the burn fades, Shane's grip falling with it. Cradling his arm back to his chest, Ryan assess the spot to find the raised ~~S.M~~ gone, only unblemished skin remaining. 

"I wish I didn't meet you" Ryan says, hands balling at his sides.

This time there is a flash of hurt on the demon's face. "I didnt want to end this way, truly, but it's for the best" 

"That's what they all say" Ryan mutters, turning so he doesn't have to look at the other for a moment longer. "Goodbye Shane" 

There's silence that follows and for a moment Ryan things he is truly alone before he hears the sound of the other exhale a sigh. "Goodbye Ryan" Shane farewells. 

When Ryan finally turns to look at the space that Shane occupied there is nothing but empty space. Disheartened he walks towards his altar, the candle he'd places his intentions into still burning as he'd left it. "I don't need to keep you lit anymore" Ryan mutters, hands hovering over the small candle flame before he snuffs the candle out. He watches the smoke raise from the snuffed candle with betrayal stinging his chest. 

He has no need for intentions that include a certain demon any longer. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> is it the end?


End file.
